Summer has arrived and can drive everybody crazy, but it's also a time children often look forward to for a lot of reasons - camps, vacations, outdoor activities, and all sorts of other fun. There are a few things you can do this season so that your child has only the best memories of summer.
Skincare
Avoiding the midday sun is the most important point to remember. At other times, covering as much of your child's skin with loose-fitting cotton clothes is an easy and effective way to protect the skin. Always dress your children in light-colored clothing to ensure less heat is absorbed. Use of a sunscreen lotion for overexposed parts is a must at all times under the sun. Make sure that the sunscreen is at least SPF 30. It is worth knowing that the SPF value denotes a relative measure of sunburn protection provided by the sunscreen. A product with SPF 30 provides two times more protection than SPF 15. You may also need to reapply the sunscreen depending on the amount of time spent under the sun and consider other factors such as swimming or heavy sweating that may wash away the sunscreen.
Hydration
If you are a nursing mother who has given birth recently, you need to breastfeed more during the summer. Mothers should consume more water to keep them well hydrated in order to meet the demands of their babies. For those having breastfeeding concerns, there is a higher likelihood of their baby having some amount of dehydration which could lead to excessive weight loss. The usual tendency in the care of newborns is to keep them warm but excessive wrapping in these conditions could do more harm than benefit. An excessively hot environment would make your newborn baby sweat more and if not fed adequately, the dehydration can worsen and can lead to a condition called hypernatremic dehydration which needs emergency care. Watch for danger signs like lethargy, irritability, poor feeding, and reduced urine output in such babies. Make sure that you take expert advice from your paediatrician if you have doubts about the adequacy of breastfeeding. A lactation consultant and even your Gynaecologist could be of help in improving lactation.
Toddlers and older children too can get easily dehydrated and you should ensure that your kid has enough water throughout the day. Keep a close watch for signs of dehydration - irritability, dry tongue, less frequent urination, and dark-colored urine.
Healthy Eating
There are certain foods that you can give to keep your child's body cool like - curds, buttermilk, coconut water, oranges, lemonade, watermelon, vegetable salads, and cucumber. It may be hard to resist your children from having ice-creams during the summer but do ensure that your child does not go overboard as these come with added sugar and calories. A healthier option would be to make popsicles at home with fresh fruit juice. Sick children tend to get dehydrated more easily and thus is important to eat healthy, to prevent common food and water-borne diseases like Typhoid, Gastroenteritis, and dysentery during the summer. Avoid eating out and in unavoidable circumstances, make sure that only freshly cooked and hot food is consumed.
Summer Camps
These camps are a nice way to keep your kids engaged and physically fit and away from the growing problem of kids being addicted to TV and smart phones these days. A good summer camp can enable your child to develop essential life skills like - communication, creative thinking, and social skills. Children often learn new activities in groups which enables them to develop their social skills.
Water Safety
Children often enjoy getting into the water on sunny days and they should always be under someone's supervision when around water. Summer can also be a good time for your children to learn swimming which by the way is a very good life skill. Those of you enrolling your kids into swimming classes should check with the providers that the facility has enough experience and staff to monitor a group of children in the pool. Some centres recommend that children have an electrolyte-rich drink each day before entering the pool to prevent fatigue and its consequences in water. You should ensure that your child isn't on an empty stomach and always give them a light snack before they enter the pool.
Car safety
Never leave your children inside a car even for short periods, as the temperature increases drastically and instantly which can cause the child to become severely dehydrated and can sometimes have more serious consequences depending on the duration of time spent inside the car.
This article is authored by Dr. Kiran Raghu, Consultant - Paediatrics and Neonatology, Kauvery Hospitals Electronic City (Bengaluru)
